Helpline moves to preserve Abuja natives culture

By Stanley Onyekwere

To ensure the strengthening of the preservation of all Abuja indigenous people culture in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Helpline Foundation for the Needy has flagged off its local economic development projects for original inhabitants of FCT to strengthen their economy, create jobs and reduce inequalities.

President of the Foundation, Dr Jumai Ahmadu during the presentation of batch B economic empowerment on traditional skill training, yesterday, said the organisation in conjunction with some stakeholders had selected some natives in each of the Area Council for training in traditional attire and others.

Ahmadu explained that the exercise is aimed at helping the natives language and culture not to go into extinction in the nearest future.

Represented by the project manager, Onoja Arome, Helpline President said the initiative would also assist the original inhabitants of FCT to strengthen their economy, creates jobs and reduce inequalities.

She noted that the presentation and flag off of the second batch of the program which focused on traditional attire making of original inhabitants was first held in 2022.

The second batch, she said will bring about sensitisation of the people on economic path ways to enhance cultural practices and annex benefits of cultural preservation.

According to her, “Helpline Foundation with support from MacArthur Foundation through centre for Human Right and Civil Education flags off local economic development projects for original inhabitants of FCT to strengthen the economy of the people, creates jobs and reduce inequalities.

“At the end of this project, our sustainability plans would be to monitor progress, and commitments by the agency responsible and to make our self available to their call anytime for mentorship”.

In his presentation tagged, ‘Local Economic Development’ the project manager, Onoja Arome said the Foundation would train about 100 vulnerable people in the batch B, of its Traditional Skill Transfer.

He said the training of the beneficiaries will commence in February and end in April, 2023.